Rhode Island’s First Overheight Vehicle Detection System

The Shippeetown Road overpass crosses I-95 along a heavily traveled stretch of interstate in Rhode Island. Repeated bridge strikes by overheight vehicles have become a persistent issue, resulting in infrastructure damage and unplanned traffic disruptions.

Bowman partnered with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to design and implement Rhode Island’s first overheight vehicle detection system (OVDS), requiring custom structural, electrical and traffic control coordination in a freeway environment.

Challenge: Reduce Repeated Bridge Strikes

RIDOT needed a proactive solution that could detect overheight vehicles and alert drivers before they reached the overpass. At the time, no such system had been deployed on a Rhode Island freeway, requiring a design that could function reliably at interstate speeds and volumes.

The project also had to be delivered under tight schedule constraints and strict traffic control requirements, with limited opportunities for lane or shoulder closures.

Solution: Freeway-Scale OVDS

Bowman designed and implemented an OVDS on both northbound and southbound approaches to the Shippeetown Road overpass. The system detects vehicles exceeding the vertical clearance and activates roadside warning signs early enough for drivers to take corrective action.

Commercial detection equipment was integrated with custom structural and electrical designs tailored to the site’s geometry, traffic speeds and operational constraints. Temporary traffic control was carefully staged to support installation while maintaining continuous operation of I-95 and adjacent ramps.

Impact: Proactive Risk Reduction & A Model for Future Deployment

The OVDS now provides a proactive safeguard against bridge strikes at the Shippeetown Road overpass. Preventing even a single collision can offset the cost of the system, while reducing the safety risks and operational disruptions associated with emergency repairs.

As Rhode Island’s first freeway OVDS installation, the project established a framework for expanding this technology to other high-risk locations across the state. It also supports RIDOT’s broader shift toward data-informed infrastructure management and preventive safety strategies.

Bowman’s work on this project was recognized with a First Place Gold Anchor Award at the 2025 ACEC-RI Engineering Excellence Awards in the Outstanding Professional Design Excellence—Projects Less than $10 Million category.